Fatal Miscalculation
by Roz
Summary: AU ending to Eternity Code What if Artemis misjudged Jon Spiro’s attitude? What if Spiro discovered the iris-cam earlier? What if everything went wrong? impliled death scene


**Disclaimer:** I don't own Artemis Fowl or any of the characters here, no, I wasn't the genius that thought them up, although I wish I had! I am not making a profit, and once again, I wish I was!

**Title:** Fatal Miscalculation

**Rating:** PG-13

**Genre:** Angst/drama

**Author:** Roz

**Email:** aeterno_estel@hotmail.com

**Summary:** [AU ending to Eternity Code] What if Artemis misjudged Jon Spiro's attitude? What if Spiro discovered the iris-cam earlier? What if everything went wrong? *implied death scene* [one-shot]

**Archival:** I wish! If you want to, go for it! Tell me first so that I can visit ur site too!

**Now, this IS my first Artemis story (if you don't believe me, check my profile!) so people and faeries will be out of character, I apologize in advance. This story is heavily centered on The Eternity Code and lots of the story is actually actual words taken from the book. So most of the dialogue won't even be mine….it all belongs to Eoin Colfer. All of it. *SPOILERS FOR THE ETERNITY CODE***

**** 

"Maybe it's not Spiro," completed Holly, switching to Artemis' channel. "Artemis. It's not Spiro. It's a double. Do you hear me? Respond, Artemis."

Artemis didn't reply. Maybe because he wouldn't; maybe because he couldn't.

**** 

Artemis reached out a hand for the box, and a false wall hissed back pneumatically. Behind it stood Jon Spiro and Arno Blunt. Blunt appeared to be grinning slightly in a humourless, predatory sort of way while Spiro face was a tightly composed mask, although Artemis could see that he was incredibly angry due to the clenched teeth and tightened fists.

"Bravo Master Fowl." The words that came from Spiro's mouth were clipped, cold and full of anger. "Some of us didn't think you'd make it this far."

Spiro took a hundred-dollar bill from his wallet and handed it to Blunt. "Needless to say, some heads in security will roll after this is over. Oh yes indeed. You're an amazing kid Arty. No one ever made it into the vault before, and you'd be amazed how many professionals have tried." Spiro had stepped down off the platform and advanced in a slow stalk towards the silent boy. "How did you get in here anyway?"

"Trade secret."

In a flash, the American businessman was beside the Irish boy and hissed viciously into Artemis' ear, "Don't you tell me 'trade secret' boy. You tell me HOW you did it."

Artemis was completely astonished by Spiro's attitude to the break-in. It wasn't what he'd been expecting at all. He'd been expecting gloating, excitement and the growing of Spiro's ego to the point of danger of bursting. He hadn't been expecting anger. He hadn't been expecting _this_. However, no matter what the thirteen year old genius thought in his mind, he didn't let any of it show on his face. Instead of replying to Spiro's order, Artemis just looked at the man before remembering about his mismatched eyes and turning away to stare at the floor.

Spiro clenched his fists at the boy's silence act and mistook it as an act of rebellion. He resisted the urge to reduce the proud boy to just a smear on the wall and instead spoke, his voice trembling with barely controlled rage, "No matter. We'll review tapes. There are bound to be a couple of cameras you couldn't rig. One thing for sure; you didn't do it without help. Check him for an earpiece, Arno."

When Blunt found the earpiece and then CRUSHED IT, Spiro's anger raised itself several more notches. While he yelled at his bodyguard for being so stupid and crushing a piece of technology that could've been worth millions, Artemis made a mental note to try not to aggravate the man in front of him too much. Spiro looked like he was about to go critical, he looked almost ready to snap. Artemis cursed himself at misjudging Spiro's nature completely. The guilt of Butler's death must've been affecting his thinking and reasoning more then he realized.

Abruptly, Spiro turned away from his bodyguard instead he grabbed the C cube from it's cushion and shoved into Artemis' chest. The Irish boy stumbled backwards from the force of the shove, his mind and body not expecting such sudden violence. In the silence of his mind, Artemis cursed again. How badly had he miscalculated Spiro? He didn't know, but he knew he had been a fair way off the mark. Something which in an operation this delicate could cause problems. Artemis quickly tried to calculate how Spiro's rage could affect the mission but still managed to hear the man's voice saying, "I never met a computer nerd yet who didn't leave himself a back door. You open this baby up now, and I mean NOW, or this little session could become more physical Master Fowl, and trust me, you don't want that."

Artemis swallowed and ran a hand across his dry lips. "Very well. I need a minute."

"You have thirty seconds boy, and then you better have some good news for me." Spiro's eyes were hard and he said to his bodyguard, "Give me your gun."

Confusedly Blunt still followed his employer's wishes and handed over the weapon. "Uh Boss…."

"BE QUIET!" Spiro's voice was still soft but lethal in it's hardness. It snapped like a whip in the heightened tension of the room. "Good news, Arty. I want good news only."

Artemis was more subdued now, realizing that a small part of his plan had gone wrong. It was a new experience to the boy, his plans always went to plan, that's why they were _his plans_.

"I rebooted it. It's working. Except….."

Spiro snarled and in a quick movement, cocked the gun and pointed it at the boy. "EXCEPT?!? This better be an itty bitty except kinda thing or else the last thing you see while you die will be MY FACE gloating over YOUR DEATH."

If Artemis hadn't been in so control of his facial expressions, he would've paled even further then his already pale face. It appeared his miscalculation could become fatal if he didn't watch what he said or moved in the wrong direction.

"It's nothing!" In a voice slightly more trembly then Artemis would've like to admit he continued, "Hardly worth mentioning. I had to revert to version 1.0; version 1.2 was coded strictly to my voice patterns. 1.0 is less secure, if a bit more temperamental."

"Temperamental? I warn you Fowl, if this Cube doesn't work or doesn't do what I want it to do, or even annoy me just a LITTLE bit, you will be on the receiving end of my mood swings."

Foaly's voice erupted from the little box, making Spiro start and grin slightly like a maniac. The hand holding the gun dropped to point at the floor, and Artemis breathed easier. However, the American didn't uncock it nor put the safety catch on. 

At the beginning of Spiro's interchange with Foaly, things started off well. However they disintegrated rapidly as the centuar's strange talk and his play of the 'personality chip' began to grate severely on Spiro's nerves. The Cube was doing everything that he asked of it yet something was telling him, an age old instinct nibbled at the back of his mind, telling him that something was wrong, someone was still playing him. 

When Pex and Chips arrived at the vault door with the guns drawn Spiro was back to his old angry mood.

"Mister Spiro!" stammered Pex. "Is this some kind of drill?"

Their employer glared at them and drawled sarcastically, "Oh look. Here comes the calvary. An eternity too late."

Artemis watched the interchange with his genius mind whirring, trying to figure out what would happen next but when Pex suggested to take him out to have a 'little accident' it stopped completely as Artemis listened carefully to what Spiro's answer would be. He couldn't predict the businessman anymore. 

For a second, eternity lengthened as Spiro actually stopped to consider the offer seriously. But then time suddenly continued onwards and Spiro laughed, a short nasty bark, "Not yet. I want him to see me take his precious Cube. Besides, I think I'd like to have the honour of exterminating Artemis Fowl the Second. Single-handedly take down the Fowl Empire wouldn't you think? That would do a great deal for my street cred. And then with it's creator out of the way and with this Cube I can do whatever I want to whoever I want."

When the talk started on Phonetix, Artemis relaxed slightly. Things could go back to their plan. Spiro was getting excited but then, once again, everything shattered when Foaly said he couldn't copy the schematics, in their plan to force Spiro to go to Phonetix.

Spiro's euphoria completely disappeared and the temperature in the room dropped by several degrees as he rounded on Artemis. "_WHAT_ is he TALKING about?!?"

Artemis coughed, clearing his throat and giving him time to think. The excuse he rattled off had been thought of beforehand but delivering it in the current atmosphere was hard as the boy was having trouble remembering all of it….something else that had never happened to him.

"So I'd have to go to Phonetix?" Spiro spoke thoughtfully while toying with the Cube.

"I wouldn't recommend it," said Artemis, "It's a lot to risk for the sake of a personal vendetta."

"SHUT UP!" Spiro's anger flared up at the boy's unwanted comment, "Who asked you?"

Artemis wisely backed off. Like he'd found out before, some battles are won by retreating.

Spiro made the decision to go and Artemis made one last sincere-sounding attempt to contain the situation, which just made Spiro even angrier. It all of the American's self control not to hit the Irish boy. Instead, he laughed shortly, replying, "Of course you don't. That's why I'm bringing you along." Spiro turned and jangled towards the door but turned back as the boy's voice floated over to him.

"Mister Spiro! Please reconsider this rash decision! It is a lot to risk!" To press his point, Artemis opened his eyes wide, trying out his wide-eyed-innocent-look, but unfortunately forgetting all about his mismatched eyes.

"BE silent boy! And hurry up! You're coming with us! Whether you like it or not." Spiro spared the boy only a withering glance before turning back around to follow his bodyguards out however abruptly he stopped and slowly, pivoted around.

Artemis swallowed at the dreadful look in Spiro's eyes and stepped back as the American advanced towards him. 

"Mister Spiro?" Pex voice floated to both males as the stupid guard poked his head back into the room, "Aren't you coming Mister Spiro?"

"Yes. In a minute. Please take this out with you." In a fluid movement, Spiro gave the Cube to Pex and continued giving orders, "Continue down into the car and wait there for me. Myself and Master Fowl will accompany you soon."

Bewildered but not willing to ask why he had been given such orders, Pex took the Cube and mumbled, "Yes sir." Before leaving.

"Close the door behind you." The businessman's voice was oily and lethal. 

"Er, yes sir." The door sealed with a click behind the guard as he left.

"Mister Spiro?" Artemis faltered, wondering what had caused this reaction.

With deceptive speed, Spiro grabbed the boy by his jet-black hair and forced the Irish boy to look up into his face, by twisting his fingers into the hair and tugging viciously. 

Artemis clenched his teeth in an effort not to cry out and tried, unsuccessfully, to avert his eyes from Spiro's. Between gritted teeth Spiro spoke, "Your eyes. What's wrong with your eyes? They don't _match_."

Ignoring the pain, Artemis tried to treat him to his best vampire smile and replied, "All the better to see you with, Spiro."

Artemis expected the businessman to loose his cool and tensed his body in expectation of being hit, however, Spiro reached two fingers delicately into Artemis' eye and plucked out the iris-cam. He studied it closely, noting the microcircuitry on the concave side, his face contorting in rage as he realized what it could've captured and with a sudden shove he let Artemis go. "This is electronic."

Artemis couldn't think of anything to say and resisted the urge to rub his aching head. "Yes."

Spiro's eyes grew dark as he realized that with technology like this, it could've been transmitting it's video feed elsewhere, and Artemis had seen everything in the needle. Everything. With a mind no longer clear on rational thought, he crushed the iris-cam in his hand and then lunging towards Artemis, he brought the gun up, and as soon as the barrel touched the boy's middle, he pulled the trigger.

Artemis' blue eyes widened as his mind faintly recognized the _phut_ that the silencer on the gun made and his body faintly recognized the dull pain from the bullet tearing through him. Spiro stared into the boy's eyes, dark eyes meeting blue eyes. One not comprehending just what had just happened the other enjoying seeing the confusion that the situation created.

"I might not be the best marksman in the world Master Fowl, but I do know human anatomy and I know that the wound I have given you is fatal, but not quickly so. You will die, but you die slowly. And painfully." Spiro gloated over the astonished boy, "Don't tell me the boy genius, Artemis Fowl, didn't predict this situation occurring? What kind of boy genius are you then?"

Artemis stepped back shakily, his body shuddering from the wound as shock began to set in. With trembling fingers, the boy touched the wound and slowly, brought it back up to view the blood on his fingertips with wonder. "No….." Artemis whispered.

"Oh yes. Yes, Master Fowl. You are going to die. When I said you'd die slowly, I forgot that you're only a thirteen year old boy. You will die much faster, probably within the next fifteen minutes. However, you are not dead yet and you will still accompany me to Phonetix."

Spiro watched the boy struggle to come to terms with everything and watched with amusement as Artemis slipped to his knees. Blood flowed from the small hole on the boy's lower left hand side. The bullet had gone through skin and organs underneath the rib cage, and cut clean through, like a hot knife through butter. A similar exit wound was present on the boy's back although Spiro couldn't see it. 

"However, we don't want you dropping blood everywhere so…." Roughly Spiro ripped the boy's shirt and bound the wound, ignoring the Irish boy's gasps of pain as he stuffed fabric into the wound. "There, now you're more likely to die from internal bleeding from outward blood loss. How interesting hey?" Spiro then took his jacket off and threw it at the boy and snapped, "Put it on. AND button it up. I don't want your blood incriminating the place, however I do want you to see me conquer the enemy with your precious Cube."

Artemis just stared at the jacket, pain taking over his senses as a fire burned in his side. He could feel his blood running down his skin, he could feel his skin prickling and sweating. He was so cold, yet his side was so hot. Every touch hurt with pain magnified a thousand fold. He knew with clarity that he was dying, that his body was slipping in fatal shock.

With a curse, Spiro strode forward and after bundling the boy into the jacket, forced him to his feet. "WALK boy! You can still walk!" With a snarl, Spiro hauled the boy out the door and once Artemis managed to get his feet working underneath him, half supported him, half dragged him into the car where the others waited. The journey to Phonetix was strangely quiet, but the atmosphere was lighter and the guards could tell that their employer was happier about something. The Irish boy was strangely quiet and there was something funny about his eyes, like they were glazing over or something. 

Spiro grew happier and more joyous as the ride continued, Phonetix grew closer and Artemis Fowl slipped closer to death.

**** 

The journey to the lab was completed with Spiro humming happily and generally being in a good mood. Artemis was suspended by the armpits between Pex and Chips for the whole journey. He knew that Holly was floating about him, keeping watch, waiting until he made the call that would make her pick him up. She was the only one that could save him, but…….but Artemis knew that he had to get the Cube back, just in case. Just in case Spiro and his smart lab assistants found something in there that could give away The People. That just couldn't happen, so Artemis didn't say anything or make any signal…..besides, other things had to happen first. Spiro had to be captured or else the whole thing would've been in vain.

Hopefully, if nothing else went wrong, then everything would turn out fine. Spiro said that he die in around fifteen minutes. Around five had already gone past. Even after he died, Holly could still bring him back. Dying would just be an inconvenience, all he had to do, was ignore the pain and carry on the with the plan. Artemis coldly calculated his own death into the plan and still found the plan to be workable.

But he forgot, to once again, calculate a very important random possibility. Unpredictability.

**** 

The security screens changed in accordance to Artemis' plans. Spiro and his cronies breaking into Phonetix but no Artemis was present on the screen. Spiro's anger returned in an split second after Foaly's reply on the Cube and he smashed it against the floor where it didn't break.

With an extremely steady voice, something that surprised Artemis as he could feel his whole body shaking and all his strength washing away with his blood that soaked into his shirt and the black jacket that he wore, the boy said, "Tough polymer. Almost unbreakable."

"Unlike you." Spiro retorted with a sneer at the dying boy. 

Artemis smiled faintly at the American and inclined his head. "As you wish to believe."

Spiro snorted but didn't reply to the barb. Artemis almost wished that he had so that Holly could've heard something and whisked him away to be healed. The pain was overwhelming, he was having an extremely hard time concentrating.

Before Artemis realized, the Chicago PD and SWAT had entered the building, meaning that Juliet was there amongst them and the plan was nearly over. Thankfully soon too. Time was beginning to blur for the Irish boy, he knew he didn't have much longer, he could feel himself fading. The world was turning black and white in front of him, he was beginning to lose his vision. That definitely meant he didn't have long to go. However he still managed to talk strongly, something that impressed Spiro despite the dire situation he was in.

Then it came down to the end. "But every now and then a male comes along with such a talent for hunting that he earns the right to use the name. I am that male. Artemis the hunter. I hunted you."

And he disappeared. As according to the plan.

**** 

Holly frowned as the boy took his time, drawing out the situation till the end. Something was different about the boy. His face seemed to be more pale then normal, and his blue eyes didn't seem as bright but that meant nothing. The Irish boy had been changing ever since Butler had died, he'd become older, more tired, more worn. This operation would've put a lot of stress on him.

Then the signal came and Holly forgot her reservations, instead said, "Up we go" and flew both of them up to the comparative safety of the cables and ducts that ran along the ceiling. 

And below them, all hell broke loose as once again, as Spiro lost his tentative hold on his temper.

**** 

Artemis had been meaning to tell Holly what had happened as soon as she had caught him, but realized he couldn't speak to her as he no longer had his earpiece and she wouldn't be able to hear him for the gunfire below them. 

Holly told Juliet that they were clear but Spiro was shooting around dangerously below them.

And it appeared to Artemis that suddenly, Juliet burst into the room and the whole situation suddenly got worse.

**** 

Holly unshielded for better aim and Artemis tried to complete his last stage of his plan but found, to his horror, that he couldn't. It wasn't that he didn't want to, it was that he COULDN'T. He had gone past his body's reserves. Artemis faintly calculated that it had been around ten minutes since he had been shot. Spiro had been wrong. He was going to die within the next minute or so.

Juliet pressed the button.

Holly squeezed off four shots, but one missed it's mark.

**** 

Juliet burst in the door so fast her limbs were a blur but Blunt's aim was true and he pulled the trigger to his gun three times in quick succession. All three found their mark in Juliet's chest.

Artemis watched Juliet collapse with horrified eyes and turned to Holly beside him. She fired once again, and Blunt's gun flew out of his hand, then blasted him with the Neutrino. The bodyguard collapsed unconscious to the ground.

Faintly, Juliet spoke, her voice intended for Holly, "L-l...Leave....m-me....t-the wounds....a-are fatal...I-is....A-artemis....a-a-a.....a-alright?"

"Yes." Then turning to the staring boy and finding him strangely unresponsive spoke quickly, "I'm going to heal Juliet."

Artemis nodded faintly, realizing what that would mean to him. "Go." His voice was soft and trembling. Something was very different about the boy but Holly couldn't figure out what it was.

Holly quickly flew over to Juliet and placing her hands on the wound whispered, "Heal." Within five minutes, Juliet was herself again.

"Let's go." Holly suggested. "You're still too weak to walk so you're coming with me." And with that Holly strapped Juliet to her Moonbelt as well. Juliet gave her principal a small smile but Artemis just stared back at her, his blue eyes strangely dull. 

They landed a fair way away from the scene and Holly unclipped the two human's from her Belt. She supported Juliet to stand up, as the girl was still weak from her near-death experience but allowed Artemis to stand by his own, something she thought he could do.

She was wrong.

Without a sound, the boy collapsed onto the ground.

"Artemis!! ARTEMIS! What's wrong??" Holly's voice floated over to the fading boy. Nothing could save him now. Maybe Holly could've once but now……. He couldn't see……he couldn't hear……the world was fading from him……

Fading…………

He felt hands turn him over onto his back and someone take off his jacket.

"Oh my god. _OH_ my _GOD_. Holly, he's bleeding! There's blood EVERYWHERE. It's _everywhere_ Holly!" he could hear Juliet's voice panicking as her principal lay dying.

"What's happening?" Surprisingly enough, he could hear the centuar's voice coming out through the Cube he still clutched in his hands. The Cube. The last thing. With an effort, Artemis let his hand flop out from his body and the Cube rolled out of his unresponsive fingers. "T-the……C-C-C…..Cube……h-here……h-have it…..s-sorry…..b-b-bout everything."

"Artemis! Don't talk like it's over! Artemis has been shot Foaly. It's a bad wound…..it's…..it's very bad Foaly. He's bleeding everywhere….theres blood all over his shirt. He's lost a lot of blood, it's soaked all through this thick black jacket…….Foaly….the Mud Boy….he's dying! He's _**dying**_ Foaly!"

"Then heal him Holly!" The centuar's voice also was high and panicked.

"Yes! Can't you just heal him like you healed me?" Juliet asked, hope in her voice.

Artemis closed his eyes, as he knew what the answer would be. The world faded even more, he was so cold. 

"I can't! I CAN'T! I have no magic left!! I used it all to heal Juliet! She was nearly dead! I had to use all my power to save her! I've got _**no**_ magic Foaly! I can't do it! I can't do it Juliet! I'm so sorry!" Holly's hysterical voice washed over the dying Irish boy. "Artemis! _ARTEMIS!_"

"Artemis! Don't go!" Juliet's distraught voice was surreal, sounded no more substantial then a dream. "Don't go! Artemis!"

Darkness surrounded the boy. Darkness moved in to claim the boy.

_"And what about you, Arty? Will you make the journey with me? When the moment comes will you take your chance to be a hero?"_

**"ARTEMIS!!"**

Artemis couldn't respond. He didn't know the answer. He would never know the answer.

****

The End


End file.
